Soil irrigator water and sediment drain

ABSTRACT

An improved device for attaching in the pipes of irrigating systems for removing silt and draining water composed of a tee for inserting in pipeline, a long drop pipe accommodating a valve seat, interior longitudinal flanges above said seat, and a buoyant captive ball between; ball being forced to seat under water pressure and rising when pressure is relieved, permitting silt and water to pass into open end sump below.

United States Patent Inventor Howard C. Schmid 2700 Queen St., Missoula,Mont. S9801 Appl. No. 879,335 Filed Nov. 24, 1969 Patented Nov. 16, 1971SOIL IRRIGATOR WATER AND SEDIMENT DRAIN 3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

2,272,304 2/1942 LOhman et a1 137/433 X 3,454,005 7/1969 Eubanks et al.137/192 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,301,426 7/1961 France 137/519.5

Primary Examiner-Robert G. Nilson ABSTRACT: An improved device forattaching in the pipes of irrigating systems for removing silt anddraining water composed of a tee for inserting in pipeline, a long droppipe accommodating a valve seat, interior longitudinal flanges abovesaid seat, and a buoyant captive ball between; ball being forced to seatunder water pressure and rising when pressure is relieved, permittingsilt and water to pass into open end sump below.

SOIL IRRIGATOR WATER AND SEDIMENT DRAIN This invention relates to adevice for improving the performance of irrigating systems which usepipes as a means for transporting water. Such systems as use sprinklerheads above the surface of the soil or other means below the surface arecontinuously subject to foreign particles in the water. This operationalhazard is particularly harmful in subsurface irrigating systems.Subsurface irrigating systems which operate under constant pressure toprevent root damage can be further improved by a draining device toempty the system after use.

It is an object of this invention to provide a device composed of acrossmember or tee for attaching into irrigating systems and a long droppipe of similar size containing a buoyant ball, a seat, and longitudinalflanges to restrict movement of ball which will permit unrestricted flowin an irrigator pipe, but restrain water in the device while water inirrigator is under pressure and allow the water to drain out of theirrigator when pressure is relieved.

It is another object of this invention to furnish an irrigator draincomposed of impermeable pipe of such length as to reach below normalgrass or cultivated plant root growth which will tend to collect silt orsolid particles out of the water as it passes through the irrigatingpipe over the mouth of the device and when water pressure is relievedallow passage of water and silt through the valve structure to the wellformed by elongated member below.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a silt and waterdraining device with relatively large flow capacity, a minimum ofobstruction, of simple design with only the bare essentials ofstructure, and in which any failure after years of use will result in aclosed valve to permit optimum continued operation of irrigating systemto which attached having three thin rounded longitudinal projections ina drop pipe to retain buoyant ball, a large opening in ball seat, and along sump to hold silt and allow passage of water to close valve atbeginning of each cycle.

The foregoing objects explicating the advantages of this inventiontogether with various other advantages which will become obvious, may beattained with the embodiments of the invention illustrated in theaccompanying drawing.

Referring to the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an irrigator drain constructed in accordancewith the invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along line 2- 2 of FIG.1.

FIG. 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG.1.

FIG. 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG.1.

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the valve in accordancewith an embodiment of the invention.

' FIG. 6 is a plan view of an embodiment of the invention.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawing, the pipe 2 preferably formed frompolyethylene has an integral part of its upper end a tee l which fitsinto and becomes a part of irrigator to which attached.

Referring now to FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 of the drawing showing in detail anembodiment of this invention the pipe 2 has an annular ring 4 formed aspart of its interior surface which becomes a set for hollow ball 5constructed of polyethylene, polystyrene, nylon, or other suitablematerial. Above the annular ring longitudinal projections or flanges 3impede the upward movement of ball 5 while occupying a minimum of spacewithin pipe 2. As water enters through opening 6 which is incorporatedin irrigator, ball 5 floats up until flow and pressure is increasedsufficiently to force it down on ring or seat 4 where it remains untilpressure is relieved causing it to float again allowing water and siltto pass around it and through seat opening to pipe chamber below.

Referring to FIG. 5 of the drawing showing an embodiment of thisinvention ring 8 is constructed of stainless steel of like material andhollow ball 9 may be of stainless steel or hard smooth plastic materialto withstand the effect of coarse sand into the device from theirrigator.

Refemng to FIG. 6 of the drawing pipe 2 may be extended and increased insize to form a large sump 10 below valve thereby increasing its capacityto hold silt and sand.

It is obvious from the foregoing description that the present inventionthough not affecting the flow of water in irrigator pipe to whichattached when said water is under pressure, permits smooth, substantialflow out of irrigator when pressure is relieved, due to configuration,minimum obstruction of thin, longitudinal projections, large diameter ofannular ring-forming seat, and ample passageway around float whensuspended, resulting in water conducting all previously accumulated sandand silt to the chamber below.

I therefor desiring to protect by Letters Patent do claim:

1. A soil irrigator water and sediment drain comprising a plastic pipehaving an integral tee at its upper extremity, an integral narrowannular ring projecting inwardly from an interior surface of said pipesubstantially midway between the upper and lower ends thereof forming aseat for a hollow ball valve resting thereon, ball stop means positionedbetween said seat and tee comprising thin integral longitudinalprojections extending inwardly from said interior surface of the pipeconsiderably above said ball and permitting ample upward movement of theball resulting in a minimum of restriction to flow of water and movementof sand and silt within the drain.

2. A device as set forth in claim 2 in which a pipe chamber is providedbelow said ball valve and is extended and enlarged for admission ofadditional sand and silt.

3. A device as set forth in claim 2 in combination with an irrigationpipe, said tee portion being interposed in said irrigator pipe andforming a downward leg extending therefrom.

k U l i

1. A soil irrigator water and sediment drain comprising a plastic pipehaving an integral tee at its upper extremity, an integral narrowannular ring projecting inwardly from an interior surface of said pipesubstantially midway between the upper and lower ends thereof forming aseat for a hollow ball valve resting thereon, ball stop means positionedbetween said seat and tee comprising thin integral longitudinalprojections extending inwardly from said interior surface of the pipeconsiderably above said ball and permitting ample upward movement of theball resulting in a minimum of restriction to flow of water and movementof sand and silt within the drain.
 2. A device as set forth in claim 2in which a pipe chamber is provided below said ball valve and isextended and enlarged for admission of additional sand and silt.
 3. Adevice as set forth in claim 2 in combination with an irrigation pipe,said tee portion being interposed in said irrigator pipe and forming adownward leg extending therefrom.